


Strike The Red Flag

by NightingaleLost



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Fantrolls, Original Character(s), Other, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-01
Updated: 2013-08-01
Packaged: 2017-12-22 01:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/907210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightingaleLost/pseuds/NightingaleLost
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Archit disappears into the town, and both Cadyrn and Dormir begin to think the worst...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strike The Red Flag

The streets buzzed with sounds; the salty air of the sea stung the outsides of his fins where his claws had scratched himself raw. The sword at his hip gave a tiny clink sound as the top of the sheath brushed up against the metal pins of his jeans. The noise was lost to those around him walking by but Archit heard it clearly. He would have his weapon tucked in his modus like what was the standard but lately he had been feeling itchy without the weight of it hanging from his hip. The metallic sound rang in his head, keeping everything clear for one millisecond before the rest of the world came rushing back in again.

 

He felt like the entire world was on edge today. Falling out of balance. Tiptoeing a razor sharp line across a pit of day walking rot hordes. Archit flicked his eyes to one side, trying to catch someone staring at him. The tips of his fingers itched, and there was an ache behind his eyes that he hadn't been able to banish, regardless of all the dips into the cold deeps of the ocean he had given himself the past week, usually so calming to him. Perhaps he shouldn't have come outside today, but he had felt like his legs were going to run off without him unless he decided to start first and release the pent up feeling within.

 

His hand darted out and he rubbed at the back of his neck, where the collar of his coat was rubbing uncomfortably. It never did that before; his coat was becoming remarkably hot somehow too.

 

Dormir worried for him, he could tell. He was catching more of those worried glances, more of the lingering by the doorway before leaving, reluctant to leave him. It was probably because Archit had been looking for them more as well. Maybe. Maybe Dormir always hovered around like that and he was only now just noticing it. Archit couldn't tell but neither option appealed to him anymore, he too was worried. The daymares were getting worse and every time he saw the violet sign in the mirror he thought about the blood in his veins and wanted to gag. There was a madness in his material, a defect. A mistake in blood and it was pumping in him and he couldn't stop _worrying_ and it was getting worse he could _tell_. The abyssal blade of the sea had done more than leave him with an unreachable standard, he had given him the gift of a disease so virulent it would kill him and everyone around him, all by his own damned hand.

 

Archit rubbed again at his neck, feeling the surge of blood below his flesh. It was so thick in him he could almost grab it, dig his claws into the bones and muscles of his arms and legs and yank out the mutation from where it hung inside of his veins. Cadyrn would tell him it was all temporary, of course he would be alright, of course it would pass; he was so panicked over this he was tricking his body into feeling the madness inside of him but he knew better, knew even though he wanted to believe otherwise.

 

He rubbed harder at his neck and almost hissed as the heat grew unbearable under his hand, burning him, setting him aflame...an indigoblood walking too close knocked into him, and Archit felt a jolt of pain and his nails sliced a line into his skin. He felt the spray of blood on himself before he was awake he had moved. It did not come from himself.

 

Archit gripped the hilt of his blade with a second hand, sawing away, and then turned to silence the rest of the loud, stabbing noises around him.

 *

\-- sleepersHaunt [SH] began trolling malignantCephalopod [MC] at 00:35 –

SH: ...If you wouldn't mind...

SH: ...Do you think you can pick up some more wires...

SH: ...We still have to light up the rest of the basement so we can chase away all the fangfiends...

SH: ...Did you take out the ship again; you've been gone awhile...

SH: ...I think Cady's here, I can hear him at the door...

SH: ...It's getting late, do you want a pickup?...

SH: ...Archit why aren't you answering...

SH: ...Archit where are you...

SH: …Archit?...

SH: ...Cady and I are going to look for you...

 

\-- chalybeousChevalier [CC] began trolling malignantCephalopod [MC] at 02:41–

CC: Dormir beckons me to ask where thou hast gone, you tarry and linger about town tonight.

CC: I have wagered 20 caegars you are napping on the decks of thine ship again. Your 'sprit made a most terrifying face at me for saying it.

CC: Fear not, I shall await your return. My lus' calls me now, I must fly.

CC: Archit I have checked the docks, your vessel remains unmoved. Art thou at the market?

CC: Dormir hast said you were feeling unwell tonight. Are you alright?

CC: Archit?

CC: …

CC: Archit, where are you?

 *

Dormir was the first one to spot something off in the city, from his high vantage point in the sky. He let off a few bright flashes and Cady waited for him to descend; he hovered a few feet off the ground while Cadyrn tried to figure out if the look on his face was one of worry or fear.

 

“:We still don't know if...if he even went this way, or if he went in the other, uh, direction, but...”

 

“What hast thou seen, Mir?”

 

“...There are a lot of lusii up ahead. I think they're...” Dormir made a face. “Eating trolls.”

 

Cadyrn laid a hand on the other's arm. “Thou art right of course. Archit perhaps, is not even in this part of the city. But prudence follows, we should assure ourselves he is not.” Dormir nodded, and they took off in the direction Dormir pointed out to him; Cadyrn with his mace ready to be taken out at a moment's notice, and Dormir himself almost sizzling with glowing energy.

 

A few live trolls still lingered on the streets they came into, prowling on the edges of the bloodsplattered streets, probably looking for a chance to snag a piece to feed lusii that couldn't or wouldn't move from their location. Cadyrn took in the scene. Various corpses littered the road and sidewalks, their blood muddling into a mushy grey-brown. Carnivorous lusii had descended upon the scene, probably a while ago just by looking at the bodies, feeding to their heart's content. It looked like most of them were in one specific area, probably where the attack had started.

 

Events like this weren't entirely uncommon, some troll unleashing a lusus to hunt and feed, or culling those in an area to satisfy some purpose or design. Usually highblood doings. They were eventually cleaned up.

 

Dormir pointed out a smaller trail of corpses leading down a different street and Cadyrn stepped around the feeding beasts, garnering a few hisses or growls and clicks from them. “Some must have fled here. Hast thou spotted our seadweller?”

 

“No...” Dormir shook his head. “I can see a few highbloods but...none who had Archit's color.”

 

Cadyrn examined one of the untouched bodies. “Stay high, Mir. Twas a troll who did this, see the marks here. A smooth blade of some type, but wielded with great strength; the cuts go to bone...and here, beyond.”

 

They followed the street down a narrower alley, and Cady heard the faint clink of metal at the same time Dormir let out a gasp. The vivid color of the coat was unmistakable, and if the color wasn't, the horns were a dead giveaway, curling loosely up, their golden color hidden by splatters of various blood types. Archit paced back and forth at the end of the alleyway, his sword held out and dripping as it scraped along the hard surface of the ground. He was too far away to see properly, and Cady fought the urge to rush to his moirail's side, unsure what had brought on this sudden spree. Had he been possessed by a psionic? Threatened to harm Dormir?

 

He stepped forward carefully, putting away his mace and leaving Dormir to hover up even higher, checking that no one else was coming and no other danger was present to any of them.

 

“...Archit? My dear, are you well?”

 

His voice had the seadweller spinning around, teeth bared and sword raised. But he made no move to attack, hands tensing on his sword as Cady came closer. Cadyrn lay a hand on the blade, pushing it down as his other hand touched Archit's face. Archit jerked as it made contact, but Cadyrn hushed him, taking another step until there were only inches between then.

 

“Shoosh.....”

 

Archit's eyes closed a little, but a warning growl bubbled up from his chest and he lashed out halfheartedly; Cady dodged it and continued his papping, petting down his hair and cheek until once again Archit relaxed, and this time leaned into him. His sword vanished into his modus and the blueblood drew him into an embrace, feeling the frantic pace of Archit's heart calm down to something more normal.

 

“It is alright. Whatever passed in this place, all is fine now. Relax, my dearest 'rail, and let me and your mate take you home...”

 

Cadyrn felt the other give a tiny nod against his chest, and hugged him tighter, looking over again at the remnants of bodies strewn about the alleyway. He met Dormir's worried gaze, both of them thinking the same thing. What had happened here? To Archit?

 

...would it happen again?


End file.
